Quite possibly. The Post reports today that Marbury, Donnie Walsh, and a rep for the Player’s Association will resume buyout talks as early as tomorrow, and could have a formal proposal by the end of the week. The sticking point all along has been Marbury’s refusal to accept anything less than the $21.9 million he’s currently owed, but he’s apparently not concerned with trying to total more than his current salary, which seems like a pretty reasonable compromise. The Knicks, for their part, stand to save at least $300,000 automatically if Marbury signs elsewhere.
It almost seems anti-climactic that Marbury’s days in New York would end like this — not with a spectacular, public blowup, but behind closed doors in a cold financial negotiation. (In fact, the lack of public drama is the only thing keeping us from fully believing something really is imminent.) But even if that’s the case, we at least get one final story line: Where exactly will he go next? Miami, Boston, and the Clippers have been mentioned as possible suitors. And Marbury sort of said last week that he’d like to play for the Spurs.
But the most interesting destination would be Dallas: Owner Mark Cuban said over the weekend that he’s “a Stephon Marbury fan.” Just think: Marbury still wouldn’t be running the offense, with Jason Kidd on the roster and all, so we’re sure he’d find plenty of reasons to sulk. And owner Mark Cuban has some problems of his own these days. An unhappy Marbury? An executive on trial? That would make it official: The Mavs would be the new Knicks.
